Submissions

To: Auckland Council
Date: November 2024

Purpose

This submission advocated for an accessibility lens to be applied to all new developments. The submission aims to ensure that new facilities are designed according to Universal Design principles and that there is equity of service for disabled people across all Council services. It also seeks to highlight and mitigate the financial burdens that Council policies, such as rates, place on low-income disabled ratepayers.

Summary of DPA submission

DPA’s central focus is on ensuring an accessibility lens is applied to all new developments. DPA emphasizes that Council investment in new assets, when undertaken with developers, presents a positive opportunity to design and construct facilities based on Universal Design principles. This approach is crucial for ensuring that public spaces and infrastructure are inherently accessible to all, aligning with the Auckland Design Manual and the need for disability impact assessments.

The submission highlights that disabled people are predominantly low-income earners and face substantial challenges in accessing the housing market. For those who do own homes, the burden of high rates bills is exacerbated by the increasing cost of living and additional disability-related expenses, such as the need for more electricity. DPA advocates for the wider and more accessible promotion of rates rebates to help alleviate this financial strain on disabled ratepayers.

A significant area of concern for DPA is achieving equity of service for disabled people across all Council services. These include the need for affordable and accessible public transport, crucial road safety measures, and walking and cycling improvements. They stress the importance of building and sustaining accessible, connected communities with good housing, infrastructure, community facilities, and parks, where everyone can participate without barriers.

When considering investment priorities in greenfield and brownfield areas, DPA recommends a "whole journey" approach. This means ensuring that new developments are not only designed to robust Lifemark Universal Design standards but are also well-connected to public transport and within easy wheelable/walkable distances.

DPA insists that the voices of disabled people must be heard in all decisions, particularly those that impact their communities across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, and that the city needs to be climate resilient.

Lastly, DPA strongly advocates for climate-resilient solutions and sustainable practices in all development projects, noting that disabled people are one of the groups most at risk from climate change and natural hazards. DPA opposed the Fast-track Approvals Bill due to its potential to lock in inaccessible and unsafe infrastructure and emphasize that all decision-making bodies must consider disabled people's needs and involve their representative organizations as co-design partners in all projects.

Key Recommendation/Finding:

DPA recommends that Auckland Council needs to work with developers on Universal Design, as outlined in the updated Auckland Design Manual.

Supporting Statement 1:

"The acceleration of Universal Design is recommended as a mechanism to improve the supply of decent housing."

Supporting Statement 2:

“The concept of designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent by everyone, regardless of age, ability or status in life.”